Woman Killed in Construction Accident in Oakland

A UPMC employee was killed Friday morning in a construction accident near the Petersen Events Center.

According to reporting by WPXI, a large, 1-ton metal drum escaped the Victory Heights construction site in Oakland, rolled down the DeSoto St. hill, broke through a fence and hit the UPMC employee as she walked with two colleagues.

WPXI further reported that a nurse attempted CPR, but the woman was pronounced dead on the scene. The metal cylinder came to a halt at the bottom of the street after colliding with a truck, and the Pitt Police blocked off the area.

UPMC issued the following statement to WPXI:

UPMC is aware of this tragedy and our immediate concern is the safety and well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. While this was not a UPMC construction site, we know this tragedy will impact our campuses. At this time, we have no further information to share.

Construction on the Victory Heights’ arena and sports performance center began last year, and various phases of the project are scheduled to be completed over the next few years. The arena and sports performance center, which will house 14 of the 17 varsity teams and feature a new volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics arena, is adjacent to the Petersen Events Center.

Aside from the arena and sports performance center, the Victory Heights project includes a new indoor track and band complex, where the Pitt Sports Dome currently sits, a student recreation center on O’Hara Street and a chilled water plant.